Gender-Based Violence Narratives in Internet-Based Conversations in Nigeria: Social Listening Study

"[S]ocial listening methodology can bring valuable insights to understand evolving trends in health-related narratives, including those related to gender-related discourse."

Given the increasing exposure and influence of smartphones, social listening has gained traction for a variety of health topics, including gender broadly and gender-based violence (GBV) in particular. This approach allows researchers to monitor and evaluate web-based audiences' opinions and behaviours while offering practitioners insights into possible ways to effect social and behaviour change. In Nigeria, GBV has come to the forefront of attention since 2020, when a state of emergency was declared due to increased reporting of sexual violence. This study uses social listening techniques to retrospectively conduct quantitative and qualitative content analysis of internet-based data related to GBV in Nigeria, specifically focusing on the topics of sexual consent (actively agreeing to sexual behaviour) and slut-shaming (stigmatisation in the form of insults based on actual or perceived sexuality and behaviours). It also explores what role events or social movements have in shaping gender-related narratives in Nigeria.

As the authors explain, the Nigerian legal, religious, and social context is complex and has important implications for combatting GBV. Specifically, Nigeria's criminal justice system is governed by 2 separate sets of legislation known as the penal code and the criminal code. The criminal code, which is applicable to the southern states of Nigeria, sets the age of consent at 18, whereas the penal code (applicable to the northern states of Nigeria and based on Islamic (sharia) law) holds that a girl at 12 years of age could be considered an adult if in a marital union with a male spouse. However, both the penal code and the criminal code make having sex with a minor a crime, and they both impose harsh punishments on offenders. Given this variation in state laws, as well as cultural and religious practices, social listening can be a useful tool to track and understand the changing sentiments toward GBV across specific regions or groups in Nigeria.

Social listening was carried out between April 2017 and May 2022 on 12,031 social media posts (Twitter, Facebook, forums, and blogs) and almost 2 million public searches (Google and Yahoo search engines) using English, Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo search terms. The data were analysed using natural language processing to determine the most salient conversation thematic clusters, qualitatively analyse time trends in discourse, and compare data against selected key events.

Between April 2017 and May 2022, internet-based conversation about sexual consent in Nigeria increased 72,633%, from an average 3 to 2,182 posts per month, while slut-shaming conversation (perpetrating or condemning) shrunk by 9%, from an average 3,560 to 3,253 posts per month. Conversations on the topic of GBV consisted of posts related to awareness raising (e.g., statistics and testimonies), specific advocacy (e.g., domestic violence and street harassment), harm reduction education (i.e., sexual consent), and societal expectations around gender roles. Testimonies also took on the role of an accountability mechanism, with posters tagging businesses to make them aware of behaviour associated with their employees or representatives. Advocacy-related content highlighted the incongruence between focusing prevention efforts on those most powerless rather than those perpetrating violence and exerting power. Other posts tried to connect topics such as the objectification of female bodies and the importance of consent. For many social media posters, the elements of consent must be made explicit in an environment where consent does not seem to be intuitively understood. In addition, posters created space for sexual empowerment and expressions of sex positivity, pushing back against others who weaponise posts in support of slut-shaming narrative.

Organic social movements and key events (#ArewaMeToo and #ChurchToo, the #SexforGrades scandal, and the #BBNaija television programme) played a notable role in sparking discourse related to sexual consent and slut-shaming. Likewise, in season 5 of Big Brother Naija, a contestant named Laycon made waves by rapping about consent and GBV. This message was reshared and circulated by many Nigerian users, which may have had an effect on educating the masses on consent.

Time trend analysis shows a greater sense of empowerment in advocating for education around the legal age of consent for sexual activity, calling out double standards, and rejecting slut-shaming. However, analysis of emotions in social media posts shows anger was most prominent in sexual consent (n=1,213, 73%) and slut-shaming (n=226, 64%) posts.

Programmatic implications stemming from this work include:

• Leverage popular cultural events and social movements with internet-based presence to elevate transformative messaging that supports gender equity. Strategies may include the use of hashtags to link public health and gender-equity-related campaigns and content to current events or social movements, as well as the use of "micro" influencers who have potential for reaching specific audiences to deliver targeted health related information and elicit positive responses.
• Capitalise on changes in social media discourse, getting out in front of GBV or gender equity or inequity conversations to help shape them and provide links to trusted resources and services. Public health practitioners and stakeholders must also leverage trusted organisations and internet influencers to drive interest and attention to improve GBV reporting and fight misinformation that fuels negative gender norms and promotes understanding around consent.
• Conduct research to investigate the relevance and effectiveness of micro influencers for challenging unhealthy social norms surrounding GBV. Finally, there is insufficient evidence currently on the effectiveness of behavior change theories in social-media-based and digital interventions, which should be an area of further research

The researchers point to several limitations inherent to social listening, particularly in settings where there is nonrandom access to social media and mobile technology, as is the case in Nigeria. Inequities in access to these technologies lead to lack of generalisability. Nonetheless: "Hashtags, media clips, and other content can be leveraged effectively to spread awareness and spark conversation around evolving gender norms. Public health practitioners and other stakeholders including policymakers, researchers, and social advocates should be prepared to capitalize on social media events and discourse to help shape the conversation in support of a normative environment that rejects GBV in all its forms."